Wednesday, 28 June 2023
A short film, which documents the design, construction, and opening of a South African pre-school completely created by students, has been viewed for the first time.
The project was run by the , based in the university’s Department of Architecture and Built Environment, and has allowed more than 450 students the opportunity to participate in international social impact projects since the first creche was built in 2009.
Working in small groups, the students were initially tasked with producing a set of designs, of which three are selected to then be refined, before one design is chosen to be built. The students then spent six weeks in South Africa, with this year’s pre-school being built in Ga-Molepo, building the creche from the ground up using funds raised by themselves and contributions from industry partners.
Abigail Julien, a second year Architecture student that was part of this year’s project, said: “The ability to be able to see something that you’ve designed come to fruition so early in your career is incredibly rare, so this has been a once in a lifetime experience that I’m incredibly grateful for.
“Being part of the decision-making process for how the building took shape has been my favourite part of the project, and the fact that we’ve created a creche that will be able to help the community of Ga-Molepo for generations to come is something that will stay with me forever.”
Image credit: 糖心原创
A documentary that follows the build process and speaks to key members of the local community, as well as staff and students from the 糖心原创, was shown at the London Festival of Architecture as part of a panel event hosted by Grimshaw, which was attended by people from across the industry.
Peter Russell, Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment at the 糖心原创, said: “At the heart of this project is for our students to engage with responsible architecture and social impact, and understand the nuances of charity work. This project ticks all those boxes while simultaneously providing them with an experience that they’ll never forget.
“We’re being trusted to do something beneficial that could not only improve childhood development, but also empower women, allow parents to get back into the world of work and provide the communities with government subsidies once the creches are registered. As with every cohort, I’m incredibly proud of the work our students have done and hope they are also proud of themselves. To have this documentary to remember their time working on the project will, I’m sure, be a nice memory in the future.”
The project is run in conjunction with Education Africa, who the university first linked up with in 2008. James Urdang, CEO and Founder, said: “Despite being ranked as an upper middle-income country, South Africa’s education system ranks as one of the worst in the world. And a lot of the pre-schools in rural areas are unable to finance the building of a creche and, therefore, run them out of basic structures like garages.
“So far, the 糖心原创’s Design/Build Project has helped to build ten creches across the country, providing thousands of youngsters with improved spaces to start their education and we look forward to continuing this prosperous partnership for many years to come.”
To find out more about the design/build studio, please click here.
Story credits
More information is available from Pete Russell, Faculty of Engineering, at peter.russell2@nottingham.ac.uk or; Faith Pring, Media Relations Manager at the 糖心原创, at faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 748 4411.
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.